Nashville back has no problems finding end zone

Darius Hopkins spent his last day as a 17-year-old scoring touchdowns from near and far.

The Nashville senior running back rushed for eight touchdowns in the Scrappers' 91-63 victory over Idabel, Okla., on Friday at Scrapper Stadium in Nashville.

Hopkins, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards in the first quarter, 35, 42, 46 and 4 yards in the second quarter, 69 yards in the third quarter and 11 yards in the fourth quarter to help Nashville improve to 3-0. He finished with 269 yards on 19 carries.

This week, Hopkins is the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Arkansas Preps Player of the Week. He will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's luncheon Monday at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock. Former Oklahoma and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Brian Bosworth is the Touchdown Club's guest speaker.

Nashville Coach Mike Volarvich is used to being around high-powered offenses. He was Henderson State's offensive coordinator from 2010 to 2014 before arriving in Nashville. But Hopkins' performance was big-time for Volarvich, who coached the likes of former Reddie quarterback Kevin Rodgers in college.

"I don't know if I've ever had a guy score eight touchdowns," Volarvich said.

Volarvich was impressed with Hopkins' physicality inside the 5-yard line. His two touchdowns in the first quarter, from 1 and 3 yards out, helped Nashville take a 21-15 lead.

"He ran with great physicalness," Volarvich said. "He's playing really good right now."

The Scrappers' all-senior offensive line -- left tackle Kirby Adcock, left guard Justin Bean, center Austin Bowman, right guard Antonio Haney and right tackle Triston Rhodes -- was instrumental in the entire team's success Friday night.

"They've been great all year," Volarvich said. "We rushed for 11 touchdowns and threw for another two. Any time you do that, it starts up front."

In addition to Hopkins' 269 yards, junior Trent Harris added 190 yards and 2 touchdowns on 12 carries. Junior Tyler Hanson completed 12 of 16 passes for 238 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Nashville, the No. 1 team in the Democrat-Gazette's Class 4A Super Six, needed all eight Hopkins touchdowns in a game that was high scoring from start to finish.

"The game was never at a mercy-rule point," Volarvich said. "There was a 14-point, 21-point lead. But they could score on one play. It was never to the point it was comfortable."

Friday's game tied the state record for most points combined in a single game. Fountain Lake and Hot Springs Lakeside had a combined 154 points in September 2008, with then-Class 3A Fountain Lake winning 88-66 at home against Class 5A Lakeside. (Fountain Lake is now in Nashville's conference, the 7-4A.)

Volarvich wasn't aware of Hopkins possibly tying or breaking the state single-game touchdown record until the third quarter after his 69-yard score made it 63-36. In fact, one of the three players to hold the state single-game touchdown record is a former Scrapper.

The state record is held by former Nashville star Derrick Graham (2008), Kendric Smith of Hughes (2006) and Jeffery Jones of Woodlawn in 2013, who each scored nine touchdowns.

"When Darius had seven touchdowns, they radioed down to me [about the records]," Volarvich said. "It would have been neat. It would have been good.

"But I thought it was important to get other guys touches as well."

That was no problem for Hopkins.

"We have a bunch of of guys who enjoy seeing the other ones succeed," Volarvich said. "They understand that everybody gets their touches."

Sports on 09/22/2016